Power steering gone & battery light on?!?

geogan

geogan

Petrolheads
I drove 7 miles into a QPark and suddenly in the carpark as I tried to turn right the steering wheel jammed - I eventually figured it was the power steering gone (like if the engine was off). The red battery light is on too while engine is running. I seem to still have power though for lights etc. and I can restart engine so it doesn't appear to be flat battery. Any idea what's wrong and how to fix it? Can it be driven to any local garage or do I need to pay big €€€ to go to Subaru dealer?? Is it safe/possible to drive it at all in this condition? It's a 01 WRX bugeye (with prodrive mods).
 
What year is the car?
Sounds like there is a power fault, possibly altonator related?
Id check all the wireing was secure and tight. Get a multi meter and check the output from the altonator
try switching everything off except the engine and see if this fixes the issue!
Any mechanic/auto electrician should be able to help, it doesnt sound like a dealer is the only person who could help
 
alternator on its way out i think... someone on here described similar symptoms before and the alternator was to blame..
 
[quote author=m3 mick link=topic=25559.msg301069#msg301069 date=1281000642]
ya wanna check the belt is still fitted sounds like it fell off
[/quote]

x2 Thats exactly what happen mine.
 
[quote author=Hammie link=topic=25559.msg301067#msg301067 date=1281000449]
What year is the car?
Sounds like there is a power fault, possibly altonator related?
Id check all the wireing was secure and tight. Get a multi meter and check the output from the altonator
try switching everything off except the engine and see if this fixes the issue!
Any mechanic/auto electrician should be able to help, it doesnt sound like a dealer is the only person who could help
[/quote]

It's 2001 WRX. I wouldn't know where to look for loose wires... I already checked restarting the engine and turning off all fans, radio, lights etc. at first I thought it was a flat battery caused by leaving on those emergency lights from switch behind steering wheel, but it wasn't on. Engine started as normal but battery light was still on. How do you check alternator? I don't even know where that is... although i know how to use multimeter...
 
[quote author=Mark Cahill link=topic=25559.msg301070#msg301070 date=1281000799]
[quote author=m3 mick link=topic=25559.msg301069#msg301069 date=1281000642]
ya wanna check the belt is still fitted sounds like it fell off
[/quote]

x2 Thats exactly what happen mine.
[/quote]

Where is this belt exactly (when looking into engine)? Is it easily accessible? If it did fall off would it still need replacing then? Expensive?
 
[quote author=m3 mick link=topic=25559.msg301075#msg301075 date=1281001143]
where is the car and maybe some one from here could have a look at it for u?
[/quote]

Well right now it's in a QPark garage in Dublin 8. The thing is I want this fixed so I can drive to Heatwave on Sunday.... that's just typical for it to break 2 days before this event!!!...
 
When you look into your engine bay there will be 2 belts a bit behind the radiator. 1 to the right and 1 to the left. 1 on the left is your power steering belt. They don't cost that much to replace if they have shredded or come off, maybe €15 or so.
 
Here's a pic might help.

jdm-ej20-motor.jpg


Two belts on the front, one alternator in the middle and
your power steering on the left as you look at it.
 
OK, I just went out and checked engine - it's the alternator/pump belt - it was in shreds all over the bay - i pulled out 5 pieces of it out of engine.

So is this belt a custom Subaru part or is it a standard part that any garage would have? I need to get a new one in so I want to know if i can drive to a local garage here in city center and get it replaced quickly... it looks like a very tight squeeze in the engine bay - is it a big job to replace belt????? Can garages so it quickly?
 
any garage can fit it any motor factor can supply it and its 2 min job ta fit it. If ya can get the car to donnybrook ill fit it for ya
 
I'd be careful trying to drive any kind of long distance. With there being no belt on the alternator your car will just be running off the battery and that will pack in fairly sharpish. Last thing you want is to break down in the middle of the city centre. :thumbsup:
 
[quote author=Mark Cahill link=topic=25559.msg301104#msg301104 date=1281009696]
I'd be careful trying to drive any kind of long distance. With there being no belt on the alternator your car will just be running off the battery and that will pack in fairly sharpish. Last thing you want is to break down in the middle of the city centre. :thumbsup:
[/quote]

I'm not driving it anywhere now - drove it up to the garage around the corner (very slowly and carefully) and they ordered two belts - he said the other belt (on right) looked a bit damaged too (outer tooth of belt was a bit shredded). It'll cost me about €108 (€24 per belt + labour) - suppose it's as good as you'll get. Hopefully done this evening and I'll get it back before 6pm.
 
One of the belts installed in August has just shredded again last night :angry1: I can't believe it went again so quick. What is the problem here? Are the belts too cheap or not suitable for WRX or something. I have a reciept from the previous owners belt changes at an official Subaru garage and they charged over 200Euro for the two belts alone not including labour. For those two and main timing belt they charged him 853Euro!!!!
Will I go back to the garage and get them to fix it for free or go to official Subaru for expensive belt? Is there any difference????
:question:
 
Back in local garage again (not subaru dealer) to replace power steering belt!!! Also while looking we noticed chunks removed from grooves of remaining belt - what could be causing that. He also said it was strange that battery light was on considering the remaining belt apparantly powers the alternator. He thought maybe the alternator is seized :icon_sad:
 
Subaru will give u a gates belt which you will get from a motor factor anyway.

Possible that the belts are too tight
 
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